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INSTABUL. — Turkey captain Arda Turan has announced his retirement from international football after he allegedly abused a journalist on the Turkish team’s plane.The 30-year-old Barcelona midfielder was reported to have verbally and physically abused Bilal Mese on a flight following a friendly against Macedonia in Skopje on Monday.

Turan was kicked out of a training camp in Slovenia yesterday and quit the national team hours later.

“I think the time has come,” he said. “I am ending my career with the national team.” Turan, who has played 96 times for Turkey, reportedly approached the journalist from Turkish newspaper Milliyet before take-off about a story he had published on a pay dispute at Euro 2016.

Turan reportedly ranted at Mese, calling him “shameless” and eyewitnesses claimed he grabbed the journalist by the throat and had to be restrained by his team-mates. Turan added that he felt “no remorse” and was “quite calm”. — BBC Sport.